Discover How This Legal Loophole Lets You Vacation Without Your Boss’s Approval!

Planning a vacation several months in advance can boost your spirits and provide a sense of rejuvenation. It’s even more gratifying when you’ve also booked your train or plane tickets and secured accommodations like a resort, hotel, or rental property. Naturally, before finalizing these plans, it’s essential to seek approval for your vacation dates from your employer. This is a mandatory step, and your boss legally has the right to deny your request, particularly if your desired vacation time coincides with a critical work period for the company. “This denial can be justified by the need for continuity of service or due to high activity within the company or exceptional circumstances,” states the Public Service website, which also notes that such a decision must not be made arbitrarily. Moreover, the employer must inform the employee of the refusal at least one month before the planned departure date.

However, there is a specific situation where an employee is fully entitled to go on vacation, even without their boss’s approval, provided they have submitted their vacation request in accordance with company policies, which typically depend on the collective agreement, and have notified their employer in writing or through a vacation planning tool indicating their intended dates.

In practical terms, you are allowed to pack your bags and go on your planned vacation if your boss has not approved your dates in time (due to lack of time or oversight). “If the employer does not respond to a vacation request, the employee is not at fault for leaving if the employer was aware of the vacation dates and did not issue a refusal. In such a case, the employee’s absence does not constitute job abandonment,” explains the French administration’s website.

It’s also worth mentioning that certain life events allow you to take leave without your boss being able to object. For instances like a family member’s wedding or civil union, a birth or adoption, or the death of a family member, your employer cannot deny your leave request. Ideally, and if possible, it’s best to notify your company well in advance (for example, in the case of a wedding or childbirth).